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Thursday, 28 July 2016

Her Wisdom - Heather Von St James

I am delighted to introduce
you to a lady who I know you will feel just as amazed and inspired by as I am.
Heather Von St James is a true survivor and I have had the pleasure to get to
know her a little over the last few weeks, Heather contacted me asking if I
could help raise awareness of Mesothelioma and the use of Asbestos, Heather
lives in America where it is still currently legal to use asbestos which is the
cause of the illness she has suffered and fought after being given only 15
months to live. Her story is truly an inspiration and you can read moreabout it and the journey she has been throughhere.Heather has kindly agreed to
share her more about her life and her wisdom and is next person to be featured
in my Her Wisdom series, I hope you enjoy the interview.

How do you
start your day? Can you tell us more about the first 3 things you have to do to
get your day started?

It depends on
the day of the week. On the days my husband works, I get to wake him up at 5:55
am, and then crawl into bed until 7:30. On days he doesn't work, I stay in
bed until 7:30 and I then get my kiddo up, love on the dogs and cats. I
usually snuggle the kiddo for awhile, then crawl out of bed and start the day.
The next thing is, I make beeline to the Keurig coffee maker to brew a strong
cup of coffee. I can't function until I have that first sip of steaming coffee.
After dropping Lily off at school, I generally take a trip to Starbucks.
That is a typical start to my day. Share your
favourite piece of wisdom and why it means something to you.

''Life is a
banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death" It is a quote
from my favorite movie, Auntie Mame. I like it so much I had it tattooed
on my left arm- it covers pretty much my entire arm. It really embodies what I
think about life. So many people get caught up in the petty small things, that
they don't see all that life has to offer them! I take joy in everything. I
feel and embrace all my emotion- I laugh, I cry, I love life. I try not to let
the trivial things bother me because in the big picture does it really matter
if Starbucks messed up my order? No, it's just coffee and can be fixed. It is
the way I approach everything. What is your
go to thing for comfort when it all gets to much?

My bedroom and
my bed. It is my refuge. We recently remodeled our bedroom and
made it a lovely, airy room. I have a huge, king size bed and I love
expensive sheets. When I am having a down day, (yes, they do happen!) I
crawl in bed and turn on something funny on TV. I find I usually feel
better after awhile.Who are the
women that inspire you?

Number one is
my Mom. She is one of the most wise, strong, and loving women I know. I admire everything
about her. She is who she is because of her tremendous faith. I strive to
be more like her. She has a heart as big as all outdoors and is the best
role model I could ever ask for. I'm truly blessed to have her as my mom.Linda Reinstein
from The Asbestos Disease awareness Organization is another woman whom
I admire to no end. She lost her husband to mesothelioma 8 years ago, and
has made it her life's mission to educate people on the dangers
of asbestos. She is a mighty powerhouse and am so honored to call her
friend. How do you
see yourself and what makes up your sense of identity? I wear many
hats. But what doesn't change is the person wearing those hats. I'm
a mom. a wife, a survivor, a motivator and inspiration.. I love to
help people and really want to make a difference. My sense
of identity ? Hmm.. physically it is my hair, and my tattoos.. I have the
trademark white faux hawk, and both arm covered in colorful tattoos..
But what sets me apart is probably my quiet confidence and my ability to tell
the truth to people. What you see with me is what you get.. I have
no hidden agenda.. but there will always be a part of me that
still sees the awkward 8th grader who was a little overweight,
had crooked teeth and bad hair when I look in the mirror..
I sometimes surprise myself at what looks back. I'm a bit of a goofball,
and try not to take things too seriously. I'm an optimist, and I think
that shines through in all I do, Do you have
a favorite dish or recipe that makes you feel good or gives you a much needed
boost?

My dad used
to make this stuff called sauerkraut bread. It sounds horrible but it
is soooo good. You take bread dough, roll it out into a big circle, and on the
inside, spread sauerkraut and Italian sausage mixed together, add
salt and pepper, roll it up and then bake it. My dad recently passed
away, so I need to learn to make it if I ever want it again. What's
challenging you right now?

Dealing with
the loss of my Dad. It's still so fresh. He passed away on February
27th, the day after his birthday. He was only 71. He was diagnosed with
clear cell renal carcinoma back in November during a surgery to fuse some vertebrae.
By the time they found the cancer, it was everywhere. He went very fast,
and for that I am thankful, but wow I miss him. There is a huge hole in my
life. Everyday is a new emotion surrounding his loss. I'm learning how to deal
with it, and I know it will get easier. I do know I'm relieved he is no
longer suffering. My dad was loved by many, many people, and I will always
cherish those last days that we got to spend together. I was with him,
holding his hand when he passed away.Tell us more
about your latest or next project.

Right now,
Asbestos Awareness Week is going on, and I am inviting people to donate
their social media status to help bring about awareness. Asbestos is
still NOT banned in the US and is being imported and used every
day. It is so dangerous and causes such suffering. There needs to be stricter
regulations on the substance and an all and all ban. That is going on
right now.As far as
other future projects, I'm thinking of a book. It is something that
has been in the back of my mind for a few years, and perhaps this is the
year I decide to actually do it. You can find out
more about Mesothelioma and read Heather's blog at Mesothelioma.Com

Connect with Heather onFacebook pageTwitterGoogle+I'd love to hear your
thoughts on Heather's courageous story so do leave a comment
below!